Interiors Monthly June 2011 by Interiors Monthly

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Andrew Kidd EDITOR

Coming in from the cold? Strength in numbers is paying off for the buying group shows but will Greendale and ACG join the fold? At last month’s flooring buying group shows it was clear that adding more groups has made them a better experience for members and suppliers (see p55). Here more really is merrier and the signs are encouraging that ACG, at least, will sign up. It would be good if Greendale members came on board as well. After all, it’s an exhibition being talked about, not mergers. There was less cooperation when news of Tesco’s online move into carpets emerged (see p8). The soft launch of the project was meant to run for a couple of months to iron out any problems. But a PR mistake has seen Victoria Carpets, which is supplying the supermarket, get it in the neck with more rumours going around than Tweets about footballers and

Editor: Andrew Kidd

monthly

first for flooring, furniture and accessories

Carpet Foundation End of an era

Expo guide Must see shows

Avebury A natural Woolmark carpet now available in plain loop and co-ordinating stripe from Cormar

FURNITURE

FLOORING

BEDS

CARPET

RUGS

ACCESSORIES

T: 01273 930 029 E: akidd@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

June 2011

Interiors

stores threatening to throw out display stands and samples. The reason? As it is still in trial mode, Victoria owns the company running the website and so is technically selling direct to the public. Victoria doesn’t want to sell direct to shoppers, it’s just how Tesco operates its new ventures. Tesco will take over eventually. And given that the consumer is responsible for getting the measurements right before ordering, I can’t see it being a commercial risk to anyone. While it’s not anything but tough on the high street and for manufacturers, Headlam and Victoria have provided grounds for optimism (see p9). Can others follow suit? By now Michael Hardiman is enjoying his first few days of retirement after 47 years in the carpet industry, including heading the Carpet Foundation since its inception. For the success of the Foundation and those Brintons advertisements that are still talked about a decade after appearing, a big thank you. Thanks to all of you who have voted in the Interiors Monthly 2011 Awards. If you haven’t voted yet, the voting form appears for the final time (see p6) this year. Make sure the companies you want to reward are winners.

Furniture advertising (South): Tim Boden Cormar is relaunching its popular Avebury wool loop pile collection, adding five co-ordinating stripes to the Woolmark branded 100% pure new wool, three ply yarn collection’s dozen plains. Visit www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

T: 01732 783 561 E: tboden@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

Furniture advertising (North): Jarrod Bird T: 01565 659 414 E: jbird@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

Flooring and accessories advertising: Joanne Miller T: 01732 783 561 E: jmiller@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

Sales executive: Ben Watkins T: 01732 783 561 E: bwatkins@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

China sales agent: Jane Dai T: 00 86 755 8398 1616 E: jane@newbuddy.net Published by Interiors Media Limited Unit 11, Riverside Business Centre, Riverside House, Riverlawn Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1EP T: 01732 783 561 F: 01732 783 562 E: enquiries@interiorsmonthly.co.uk Registered in England no. 6397722 Printed by Headley Brothers Design by TSS DIGITAL © Interiors Media Limited ISSN 1756-2236

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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CONTENTS

INTERIORS MONTHLY JUNE 2011

INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEWS 8 9 12

Tesco sells carpets online Flooring duo see upturn Rosenthal invests in its future

FEATURES 6

Awards Your chance to vote for the best in the industry

Carpet End of an era at the Carpet Foundation

Upholstery Icons move outdoors

Marketing It’s all about relationships

Rugs At home inside and out

Expo guide Must see shows, Manchester Furniture show preview, and flooring buying groups’ exhibitions

Buying groups Helping independence

Review Highlights of Fuorisalone

Beds and Bedrooms Going green and why British design rules

Floor protection A growing market

REGULARS 3 15 16 84 86

Comment Opinion New products Entertainment Final polish

NEXT ISSUE Wood and laminate supplement Soft cover upholstery Harrogate Flooring Show preview www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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AWARDS

Rewarding excellence

AWARDS

VOTE FOR SIMPLY THE BEST...

AWARDS 2011

2011 WINNER

RETAILERS TO COMPLETE ONLY

Best Customer Service (Furniture)

Best Vinyl Manufacturer

.............................................................................................................................. Best UK Furniture Manufacturer

.............................................................................................................................. Best Luxury Vinyl Supplier

.............................................................................................................................. Best Overseas Furniture Manufacturer

.............................................................................................................................. Best Flooring Exhibition

.............................................................................................................................. Best Furniture Buying Group

.............................................................................................................................. Best Flooring Website

.............................................................................................................................. Best Accessory Supplier

.............................................................................................................................. Best Flooring Wholesaler

.............................................................................................................................. Best Bed Manufacturer

.............................................................................................................................. Best Software Supplier

.............................................................................................................................. Best Bedroom Manufacturer

.............................................................................................................................. Best Finance Provider

.............................................................................................................................. Best Dining Room Manufacturer

.............................................................................................................................. Best Supply Chain/Logistics Company

.............................................................................................................................. Best Living Room Manufacturer

.............................................................................................................................. Best Business Support

.............................................................................................................................. Best Fabric Upholstery Manufacturer

.............................................................................................................................. Best Marketing Support

.............................................................................................................................. Best Leather Upholstery

.............................................................................................................................. Innovation of the Year

.............................................................................................................................. Best Furniture Wholesaler

..............................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................. Best Fabric/Soft Furnishings Manufacturer

SUPPLIERS TO COMPLETE ONLY

.............................................................................................................................. Best Furniture Exhibition

.............................................................................................................................. Best Flooring Retailer (3+ stores)

.............................................................................................................................. Best Furniture Website

.............................................................................................................................. Best Furniture Retailer (1-2 stores)

.............................................................................................................................. Best Customer Service (Flooring)

.............................................................................................................................. Best Furniture Retailer (3+ stores)

.............................................................................................................................. Best UK Flooring Manufacturer

.............................................................................................................................. Best Online Retailer

.............................................................................................................................. Best Overseas Flooring Manufacturer

..............................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................. Best Flooring Buying Group

Please fax your completed form to 01732 783 562 or email your nominations to

.............................................................................................................................. Best Carpet Manufacturer

akidd@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

.............................................................................................................................. Best Rug Supplier

Name .................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................. Best Laminate Manufacturer

Company .........................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................. Best Solid/Engineered Wood Manufacturer

Position ............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................. Best Underlay Manufacturer

Tel .......................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................

Email ..................................................................................................................

Interiors Monthly June 2011

Best Flooring Retailer (1-2 stores)

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NEWS

M&S goes Dutch: Marks & Spencer has turned to celebrated Dutch designer Marcel Wanders to create the chain’s Design home collection. Pictured is Wanders’ Boutique Diary sofa for

Moooi. The company also has a Contemporary offer designed by Conran & Company and the in-house Classic range. Marc Bolland, Marks & Spencer chief executive, says just a fifth of the

Tesco selling carpets online Tesco has strengthened its interiors offering with the launch of an online only carpet collection. The carpets are supplied by Victoria Carpets. Tescocarpets.com offers four twist collections at £13.99, £14.99, £15.99 and £24.99 per sqm; four loop ranges at £15.99 per sqm; and a £19.99 per sqm velvet range. The carpets are described as ‘ready to be dispatched from UK stock’. Three 5cm x 9cm samples are supplied free while a 20cm x 28cm sample costs £2.50. Consumers are responsible for measuring and are provided with details of National Institute of Carpet and Floorlayers members for fitting. The exclusive ranges are being sold through a Victoria subsidiary which is responsible for service. This is Tesco policy until the venture is up and running when it will be taken under Tesco ownership, according to Victoria. Victoria says it was approached by the supermarket after two flooring firms contacted Tesco with a view to launching a carpet offer.

chain’s customers shop at its Home department. He promised a ‘step change in our range from September’, as Damian Guha has been named as director for home.

Bed firm axes 70 jobs Beds group Horatio Myer has shed 70 jobs as part of a restructuring designed to ‘secure the long-term health of the business’. The group – manufacturer of the Slumberland, Dunlopillo, Staples and Myer’s brands – says manufacturing will be more flexible and staff will multi-task. ‘We took a hard look at the trading environment and decided to take responsible action to secure the long-term health of the business,’ says Gordon Mitchell, Horatio Myer md. 'Despite trading conditions we have been able to gain extra floorspace with 2,000 models placed so far this year.'

Voting online for awards Voting for the National Bed Federation Bed Show 2011 Awards has gone live at www.bedshow.co.uk. There are awards for Multiple Bed Retailer of the Year, Independent Bed Retailer of the Year, Bed Manufacturer of the Year, and Bed Supplier of the Year. Voting is open until 19

September with winners announced at the Bed Show gala dinner on 27 September. ‘This is a chance to identify the outstanding work of individual companies, but also to celebrate the achievements of the bed industry as a whole,’ says Jessica Alexander, NBF executive director.

Triple worry for cabinet company Cabinet firm Pinetum looks likely to require a major cash injection from parent Hamptons Manufacturing if its future is to be secured. The manufacturer faces a winding up order by HM Revenue & Customs, has received a notice to appoint an administrator from invoice discounting firm Bibby, and been locked out of its factory by the building’s owner, Lloyds TSB.

Interiors Monthly June 2011

Administrators working for Lloyds TSB seized the Warminster building on 14 May after negotiations over Hamptons buying the premises broke down. A Hamptons spokesman told Thisiswiltshire.co.uk that administrator Baker Tilly was responsible for the delay in reaching agreement and claimed it was putting the firm’s future at risk. ‘We have been negotiating to buy the building and have made a fair offer, but

the administrator at Baker Tilly seems determined to be obstructive,’ he was quoted as saying. ‘We are continuing to pay rent during the talks, what is the problem? Last time we were shut out [in March] the company lost £750,000. It is putting a major local employer at risk, but they don’t seem to care.’ Hamptons had yet to respond as Interiors Monthly went to press.

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NEWS

Headlam and Victoria enjoy a lift in sales and profits Headlam and Victoria Carpets have both increased flooring sales and profitability. Headlam’s UK sales rose by 5.8% from 1 January to 30 April and by 8.2% on a like for like basis. The group says the increase was broadly consistent across its 49 businesses and gross margin was slightly ahead of the same period last year. Group sales were 3.9% higher but sales for its European operations fell by 4.2% in sterling terms, although this was compensated for by increased European margins. ‘We said in March, when we released our 2010 full year results, that the year had started positively. The sustained performance is testament to the continued efforts from our management teams, sales people and all our employees, and is further confirmation of the enduring strength of the group’s operating strategy,’ says Tony Brewer, Headlam chief executive. ‘While trading has been encouraging, and at this early stage of the year we are on target to achieve the group’s performance objectives, we nevertheless remain cautious, due to market conditions continuing to be challenging.’ Meanwhile, Victoria says sales in its two core markets of the UK and Australia have been ‘stronger than expected’ since February and pre-tax profits for the year ended 2 April (excluding exceptional items) ‘will be significantly ahead of current market expectations’. ‘This strong performance is despite the continuing

weakness of the Irish economy which has severely impacted the group’s two Irish businesses. The board has therefore decided to further restructure its Irish businesses. The group will retain a strong presence in the Irish market and this move should enhance the group’s overall position in the future,’ says the company. Victoria is due to release its full year results in the second half of June.

Victoria’s sales have been ‘stronger than expected’

Finalists named for FIT women recognition The winners of the Furnishing Industry Trust Women in Furnishing Awards, sponsored by Willis & Gambier and Manchester Furniture Show, were due to be revealed on 2 June. Finalists in Most Promising Newcomer are: Louise Boyland, an upholsterer who passed all of her AMUSF qualifications

with distinction; Teresa Reaney, Furniture Origins UK head of sales and marketing; and Jodi Schofield, Burgess Beds sales director. Businesswoman of the Year finalists are: Jessica Alexander, National Bed Federation executive director; Gillian Finch, Carpenter national sales manager;

and Natalie Rawson, Furniture123 commercial director. Finalists for the Most Inspirational Woman/Women of the Year are: Kate Hardcastle, Insight with Passion partner; and Hammonds Furniture’s Kirsty Oakes, Claire Parker and Lorraine Price.

HIG buys Silentnight Group

Warranty MBO

HIG Capital has bought Silentnight Group in a pre-pack administration deal. The investment group had already provided £10m of funding to the bed manufacturer after its bankers withdrew support. Creditors had been due to vote on a creditors voluntary agreement of receiving 65p in the £1 on 6 May. But this was postponed and administrators appointed the next day after the group said it was clear the CVA would rejected. The pre-pack sale means the group has shed its £100m final salary pension deficit that threatened its future and all other debts.

HomeServe is to sell its retail warranties business to the £8m division’s management, citing that margins are too low. When the MBO, headed by Martin Napper, HomeServe director of service delivery, is completed the new company will be called Castellan.

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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people

NEWS Cavalier Carpets has appointed Rob Brooking as sales representative for the South West. Bond Retail Marketing has named Carl Harris as an operations director.

Alan Higgins (above) has become South West agent for Vogue Beds Group and Limelight Beds. Hugh Garforth-Bles, Dudgeon Sofas md, has been installed as the 50th Master of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers.

Rosenthal invests as Dawson sells soft furnishings division Soft furnishings firm J Rosenthal & Son has invested £2.85m in a warehouse and distribution centre in Salford, Greater Manchester. Harry Rosenthal, J Rosenthal md, says: ‘The 64,000sq ft former lighting studio will enable us to tighten our lead times and provide altogether slicker customer service. It’s ultimately about remaining competitive and protecting the long term success of the business. ‘We’ve invested in the resource and equipment to ensure our design and production set-up is genuinely unique to British interiors and it was time we brought our distribution centres in line with the rest of the business. The existing warehouses were simply outdated and couldn’t deliver the accuracy and speed we need to take the business forward.’ Following the investment, the oldest of its two Blackburn warehouses has been closed, with the remaining unit used to service mail order operations. Another soft furnishings group, Dawson International, has sold its loss-making white label bedlinen and soft furnishings division, Dawson Home Group, for an initial £4m. Dawson will receive up to a further £2.5m for

The warehouse should reduce lead times

stock when DHG’s new owner Brookman uses it. Brookman is run by Charles Johnson, chief executive of US textile firm CS Brooks and Myron Mann, and Global Sourcing Group ceo. DHG supplies several major retailers but lost £1.5m from sales of £30m in the year to the end of January.

Buying groups show set to grow for 2012 Rodney McMahon (above), Morgan Furniture md, is the new Furnishing Industry Trust national president.

Next year’s Buying Groups National Flooring Show is set to expand with the inclusion of ACG members and suppliers. After talks with ACG, the SMG, Metro and BRM groups say a positive decision is expected. This year’s Solihull event took place on 17 May, the day after Flooring One held The Flooring Show.

Greendale says its members want a Greendale only event, and is holding a dinner and show on 16 October. ‘We would like the other groups on board for 2012. Other shows are in business to make money – we are doing it for the benefit of members,’ says Paul Phillips, BRM md. ‘The suppliers want to be here and all the groups help support the supply base.’

Beale’s expands while Focus is to close UK Flooring Direct has appointed George Keenan (above left) as ecommerce manager and Nick Waller (above right), as sales director. Habitat has named Kevin Styles as group chief executive.

DIY chain Focus is to be closed, with the loss of 3,000 jobs, after administrators failed to find a buyer for the group or the 123 unsold stores. Ernst and Young sold 55 stores to B&Q, Wickes and B&M Bargains. Meanwhile, department store chain Beale’s has completed its acquisition of 19 department stores from Anglia Co-operative, including seven with furniture and flooring departments. The deal transforms Beale’s into a 32-store chain and adds 450,000sqft of sales space.

Interiors Monthly June 2011

Anglia Co-operative has four department stores alongside its AHF furniture chain. Anglia will run the furniture and flooring departments as concessions. The stores – Abingdon, Beccles, Bishop Auckland, Chipping Norton, Cinderford, Diss, Harrogate, Keighley, King’s Lynn, Lowestoft, Mansfield, Peterborough, Redcar, Saffron Waldon, Skegness, Skipton, Spalding, St Neots and Wisbech – had combined sales of £61m and a pre-tax loss of £4.9m in the year to 4 September 2010.

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Indiana rides again Furniture Origins’ Indiana will be on show at The Manchester Furniture Show in July, following its successful launch at interiors 2011 in January. Displays of the newcomer far outweighed expectations, with this ash dining range with tenon joint detailing proving once again that Furniture Origins UK manufactures and designs furniture retailers want to stock. Indiana is available from stock from our South Wales distribution warehouse and also via our direct container programme. Furniture Origins UK will be at stand CH12 Charter Hall, and will show six dining/bedroom ranges and new exclusively designed leather upholstery collections. For further information on our current ranges please email: enquiries@furnitureorigins.co.uk Office and showroom address: 6b Parc Nantgarw, Heol Y Gamlas, Treforest Ind Estate, Treforest, Cardiff CF15 7QT Tel: 0845 223 4900

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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Page 15 GREENWOOD hv

OPINION The author is a leading interiors marketing specialist

Are we spreading the jam too thinly? Last year the UK carpet industry was buoyed by the launch of the Campaign for Wool spearheaded by Prince Charles. Competitiveness was subordinated for the general good of the industry and buying groups, manufacturers, wholesalers and independent retailers enthusiastically embraced the initiative with point of sale and promotions. Outside of the carpet sector support was somewhat different, with many retailers paying it lip service in a few stores. That said, everything has to start somewhere and lessons can be learned. So it was with incredulity that I discovered this year’s campaign was ‘going global’. Not only has it barely scratched the service in the UK but it cannot possibly have the funds to do a worldwide job. To change consumer perceptions, one needs a considerable sum of money, a long time frame and a highly targeted focus. While obviously not privy to the funding, I would fairly confidently state that the Campaign for Wool does not have a war chest running into millions. To even think about a global campaign is at best misguided. Look at the UK and consider how much Brintons, the Carpet Foundation and latterly Fun on the Floor have spent, and for how long they have been doing it. That was with an advertising budget in all cases. Furthermore, there are different parties involved in this campaign, all of whom have differing needs and wishes. Fashion is different from flooring, interiors to knitting. We have to talk to consumers because it is they who have to make the choice and without seeking to influence them, nothing will be achieved. But, there are various ways of doing this – some of which cost a lot of money and others that do not. Does the campaign really believe that it will bring about an attitudinal shift on a global scale in year two? There was widespread carpet industry support for the campaign but I fear we are in danger of losing focus and spreading the jam far too thinly and losing all momentum – in spite of the bullish noises emanating from the campaign team.

Does the campaign really believe that it will bring about an attitudinal shift on a global scale in year two?

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NEW PRODUCTS

5 1 Floorwise’s latest Stair Nosings & Trims brochure collates the supplier’s leading solutions to edgings, including aluminium and PVCu edgings, as well as a specialist Disability Discrimination Act compliant collection and details of its fabrication service for complex shapes. Tel: 01509 673 974 2 Capturing subtle tone-on-tone and high contrast floral designs, Sandringham Wilton is the latest collection from Balta Broadloom, replacing the Wellington range. Six traditional designs are available in five colourways. There is extra depth to its designs thanks to the six frame weave that

Interiors Monthly June 2011

allows an additional colour than that of conventional five frame wilton carpets. Tel: 00 32 5662 2211 3 Cormar is relaunching its popular Avebury wool loop pile collection with updated colours and complementary stripes. Five coordinating neutral based stripes have been added to the Woolmark branded 100% pure new wool, three ply yarn collection’s dozen plains. It is available in 4m and 5m widths. Visit www.cormarcarpets.co.uk 4 Bronte Carpets’ innovative sample book shows 60 standard 100% wool colours and 60 standard 80/20 twist colours. Bronte’s

special dye colour match service is also available. There are three new qualities in its saxony/velvet range and two new felted qualities to the shag pile range. The Embossed fleur-de-lys (pictured) has been added to the hand-crafted border offer. Tel: 01282 862 736 5 Mohawk International’s SmartStrand POS is loaned free to retailers. The freestanding display communicates the benefits of the fibre, including the lifetime stain, soil and pet warranty and takes interactivity with consumers to a new level with the use of an innovative video display. Tel: 01480 479 830

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NEW PRODUCTS

7 9

6 Bronze, silver and gold hues dominate the stone, wood and mosaic designs in the Precious Metals cushion floor collection by Avenue. Each design features the Natural Look and Feel surface to lift the decor to a new level of realism, while the shimmering colours add an air of quiet sophistication. Tel: 00 32 5665 3211

7 Frank Hudsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vintage Provencal Pine has a warm honey-coloured tone with hand-forged brass handles, and the stunning sleigh bed will create impact and drama to any bedroom. Adding a feminine twist, the collection is also available in a striking chalk white finish that has been hand brush-painted. Tel: 01494 522 011 8 At the heart of Crown Floorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in-store presence is a striking display unit that can accommodate back-to-back, wall and island layouts. Other POS includes leaflets, mats, posters and appointed dealer window stickers. Designed to improve consumer recognition of the brand, these additional materials will benefit the retailer with a strong sense of identity for the collections. Tel: 0800 0773 301 9 Velda is launching Metropolitan Luxury in the UK. Metropolitan demonstrates the pride and passion of Velda and a focus on style and long-lasting comfort. Only the best spring units, fillings and covers are used to create the most comfortable beds it says it has ever produced. Tel: 00 32 89 366 657 email info@veldeman.com 10 With a tri-coloured yarn, Lano Carpetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Supreme Elegance and the shaggy Fairfield Supreme have a salt and pepper effect that separates them from other stain resistant ranges. Both are available in 14 shades with action back and a 10-year stain resistant warranty. Tel: 00 800 5266 5266

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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Mystique Interiors www.mystiquewholesale.co.uk Mystique is a successful independent interiors business, which has expanded to accommodate the wholesale of these exciting products The lighting range has been the driving force for our wider furnishings business since we gained exclusivity of the products in the UK.

Amazing consumer feedback and our direct-to-manufacturer approach has reinforced our belief that these versatile products will be beneficial to many retailers, from small independents to large national chains. We are currently running a business visit day once a week where we will come to your premesis and allow you to see the lamps up close and illuminated. If this is something you feel would be beneficial to you and your business please call our customer care team and they will be happy to book you in for the next available date. Please order by Telephone: 01663 767 912 or email us on mystiquewholesale@hotmail.co.uk.

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CARPET

‘In a small industry with people selling the same sort of product to the same sort of customers, people need to collaborate’ Michael Hardiman

Master of cooperation After 47 years in the carpet industry, Michael Hardiman has retired as Carpet Foundation chief executive Michael Hardiman admits to being a bit demob happy. Considering he’s spent the past 47 years in the carpet industry, it’s understandable. Since the inception of the Carpet Foundation in 1999, Hardiman has been its chief executive – a role he has now handed over to former Saatchi & Saatchi vice-chairman Andrew Stanbridge. But his route there was not straightforward. ‘I had been head of personnel at Brintons when they had a reorganisation and I was put in charge of marketing. One day I was negotiating with unions about sick pay and the next I was at a photoshoot with Vivienne Westwood,’ he recalls. This was the campaign that saw

Interiors Monthly June 2011

models wearing floor-length dresses made from Brintons’ carpet, and was the first of several campaigns that captured the public imagination. Impressed with the results, other manufacturers wanted to follow suit but individually lacked the budget Brintons had invested. The answer for the British Carpet Manufacturers Association was to approach Hardiman – ‘I was the only person in the carpet industry who knew about advertising campaigns,’ – and the Carpet Foundation was born. ‘After the initial campaigns the manufacturers thought they needed changing to be more effective, so we decided to recruit retailers. The

manufacturers took the approach that if we get the consumers into the right quality of retailer they are more likely to buy one of their products, so they’d take the hits and misses,’ he explains. ‘This helped a lot as generic advertising is very difficult. Saying please buy carpet, no one takes a bit of notice of that. But here we were saying if you are in the market go and see these independent retailers.’ With initial scepticism over the Foundation’s ability to recruit retailers overcome, Hardiman enjoyed a stroke of luck and stumbled, his own word, on the one thing that has transformed the Foundation: the Office of Fair Trading Approved Code of Practice.

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CARPET

Above: British carpets remain the best in the world, Hardiman says Right: Almost all consumers say they will use a Carpet Foundation member again

‘One day I was negotiating about sick pay and the next I was at a photoshoot with Vivienne Westwood’ ‘I happened to go to an OFT roadshow and stumbled on this Approved Code of Practice idea. I thought this fits us, so after a massive amount of work involving virtually everyone in the industry, we eventually became the sixth organisation to have an approved code. After that we publicised it and it’s really taken off,’ he says. ‘People are using the code ever more enthusiastically. All our monitoring suggests things are getting better. There aren’t that many retail groups that are independently monitored with the average number of consumers who will use the store again at 99%. Consumers have heard of the Carpet Foundation with brand recognition about 30% now.’

Interiors Monthly June 2011

He is rightly proud of the development of the code and the Foundation’s Red Carpet Awards, which has seen carpet go from something that was ignored by the consumer press into a must write about product, generating millions of pounds worth of coverage in the past decade. But he does have a few regrets about some developments. ‘The Guild Mark is the only accredited standard in the industry. It was developed by the BCMA and everyone thought it was the thing to do. But it was never really aggressively promoted by manufacturers, and it’s difficult finding out why. I think there was a clash of brands,’ he says.

‘The Campaign for Wool, which I put a lot of time into, has been a bit of a disappointment for all sorts of reasons. I would have liked to have seen a few more manufacturers support the Foundation, but of course that may come with the end of Fun on the Floor. ‘The recession has been a nightmare for us as we lose a double whammy. We lose income from manufacturers and lose income from retailers, but we’ve coped with it. We’ve spent less on promotion, cut costs and we have money in the bank. Let’s hope we see an upturn in the housing market.’ On the industry as a whole, Hardiman says there needs to be much more cooperation.

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s 2ENEWABLE CONTENT s s %ASY TO CLEAN s ,OCKED IN RESISTANCE

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CARPET

Above: The Carpet Foundation has 30% consumer awareness Left: Carpet Foundation members have featured in campaigns

‘In a small industry with people selling the same sort of product to the same sort of customers, people need to collaborate. Most industries in the same situation as the carpet industry will be collaborating with each other,’ he reckons. ‘You can’t expect or allow manufacturers to continue to fund new product development on their own. This idea that manufacturers produce new products that will be marketed through all their retailers doesn’t work. You can’t expect designers to produce ranges like that – that’s why so many look the same. ‘You can’t expect manufacturers to fund everything, you’ve got to do it more

Interiors Monthly June 2011

intelligently. Look at companies like Prestigious Textiles, which has some fantastic designs. It sells every sample and that enables it to be bolder with design and colour, and enables their retailer to pick the ranges that are suitable for their customers, and they make better margins on it.’ Hardiman says such issues are things that get in the way, but he is proud the industry has outperformed the rest of the British textile industry. ‘British carpets are still the best in the world. If you go on a cruise liner or the best hotels you find British carpet. It has been an interesting time. The old BCMA was a traditional trade association but

we’ve embraced manufacturers and retailers and are the largest body of its kind in Europe.’ So with an empty appointment book, what are Hardiman’s plans? ‘I’ve got one or two business interests, but first I’m going to have a rest. After 47 years in the carpet industry I deserve a rest. Managing a trade association where people are kings in their own castle and from different operating cultures isn’t easy, so I’m going to take the summer off and do nothing, and see what happens after that. ‘It’s a great industry with some great people in it and we still make the best carpet in the world.’

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Choose the very best available in the UK from April...

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UPHOLSTERY Left: LC8 has an integrated selfdraining insert Below: LC7 uses inox steel

Outdoor pursuits Cassina has used some of the most iconic designs for its first outdoor range What do you do if you hold the rights to some of the most iconic pieces of upholstery? If you are Cassina you make outdoor versions of them to mark your entry into the outdoor seating market. Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LC1 armchair, LC3 armchair and two-seater sofa, LC7 small swivel armchair and LC8 stool (and LC10-P tables) can now be

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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UPHOLSTERY

Toyko has gone into production for the first time

enjoyed outside as well as indoors. The LC3’s chrome structure has been reinterpreted in polished inox steel with high silver content welding and PVC feet while the cushions have a self-draining polyurethane insert that protects against water stagnation and subsequent mould. The padding is in ultra-light hollow fibre with high air content (80%) that dries quickly.

LC3 has one cushion for better water resistance

Interiors Monthly June 2011

The two-seater sofa has a single cushion replacing the twin cushions for improved water resistance and PVC-coated high durability polyester fabric or an exclusive stainproof acrylic yarn. Perhaps the highlight of the collection is Perriand’s never before made Tokyo chaise longue. Conceived when she lived and worked in Japan in 1940, it was a

reinterpretation of the LC4 chaise longue in bamboo. Cassina’s version uses bamboo, teak and beech while a bamboo model is on show at Petit Palais in Paris until 18 September as part of a Perriand retrospective. And when the weather turns really nasty, the chairs can be used in the living room or stay outside with the protection of a tailored water repellent cover.

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MARKETING

Communications must be relevant, such as for Wave

Create lasting relationships Customer relationship management allows retailers to maximise the effects of personalised marketing to shoppers The relationship a company has with its customers is vital to the success of the business. Not understanding them and what they want will lead to failure. What can be difficult is keeping track of who all these people are and the history of the business relationship with them. Have they bought recently? Have they only ever bought once? Do they visit but never buy? Have they complained? These are all vital pieces of information. To help its stockists achieve this Ekorness launched the Stressless Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system last year. Designed to manage information

Interiors Monthly June 2011

relating to past and potential Ekornes and Stressless customers – from enquiry through to purchase and repurchase – the system includes the servicing of all brochure and dealer request leads, as well as event follow-up. Duncan Box, Ekornes marketing manager, says retailers have welcomed the opportunity to follow up leads and have converted many of these into sales. ‘The power of the Stressless CRM system lies in its ability to help identify and target prospects and customers by analysing their buying habits, age and demographic profile,’ he says. ‘By segmenting our audience, we can

talk to them in a meaningful and intelligent way, sending them details of relevant promotions and follow up communications, such as invitations to the launch of a retailer’s instore Stressless Concept Studio.’ Box says this ensures communications are relevant to customers, thereby generating quality sales leads for retailers and Ekornes. The system is a database that enables the generation, collection and follow-up of information about past and potential customers. Retailers have access to the system so they can follow up and update the status of the leads the upholstery

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MARKETING

CRM can generate leads for promotions such as for the Space sofa and Jazz recliner

THE CRM PROCESS

Early opinion forming

• Advertising • Public relations • Exhibitions • Email marketing

Information gathering

• Direct response marketing • Web design and development • Tele-marketing

firm generates. This could also provide data for future marketing, for example a retailer could tell all their customers who purchased a Stressless recliner about a promotion or new accessories. ‘The scope and potential use of this CRM system is unlimited. As retailers have already found out, it’s one of those new technologies that once you have it, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it,’ says Box. He says the system allows customers to be followed through the whole purchasing journey, starting with early research and information gathering through a web enquiry, brochure

Engagement

• Display material • Sales collateral

‘Soak’ period

• Brochure design and production • Tele-marketing • E-marketing

request, event attendance or a store visit. The customer engages with the brand and makes a purchase, and hopefully a repeat purchase, he says. ‘We stay with them every step of the way creating a multitude of opportunities for our retailers. To open up and continue a dialogue, we have a complete package of options and ideas we share with our Stressless retailer partners including TV, direct mail, web and digital. We provide a complete marketing package for our retailers and CRM is a cornerstone of this,’ he says. Arighi Bianchi has used the system since its launch. ‘It works very well for us.

Purchase and repurchase

• CRM • Direct marketing • Tele-marketing

It gives us instant access to leads in our area and we follow it up with a letter and information explaining what we have in store and any offers,’ says Richard Avery, Arighi Bianchi salesman. ‘We get a high order rate on those leads of 65%-70%. It’s a very direct way of accessing customers and gives them a personal contact at the store. It’s a very interactive system that I don’t really see any weaknesses in.’ Given the short and long term benefits of CRM and its widespread use in other industries, how long will it be before retailers and other manufacturers can reap the rewards of fostering relationships with consumers more widely?

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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RUGS

Right: Nani Marquinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 4x4 uses recycled polyester Below: Dedonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fishernet

Going outside

Rugs are no longer limited to inside the home, they are heading to the garden

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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NEW BROCHURE AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW call: 0161 430 8700 visit: www.plantationrug.co.uk

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RUGS Water and most flooring are generally not happy bedfellows, but rugs are increasingly becoming the exception. Outdoor rugs that is. Although more popular in mainland Europe and the USA, they are rapidly becoming more mainstream here. Plantation Rug Company’s InsideOut is an all weather, stain-resistant, wipe-clean rug available in three sizes and seven colourways. Dedon offers three rug designs created by Floor To Heaven’s Michaela Schleypen, including the textured Fishernet measuring 2m x3m. Another garden furniture company that offers indoor/outdoor rugs is Kettal. Designed by Patricia Urquiola, the collection of 2m x 3m rugs uses Chenilletex coated with a non-slip PVC surface. Nani Marquina uses 100% recycled polyester to weave its 4x4. Perhaps the rug that most resembles – in look and feel – of a purely indoor rug, it has a knot density of 15,500 per sqm and a pile height of 3cm. Offered in three colours, sizes are in 2m x 3m, 1.7m x 2.4m and 250cm diameter.

Plantation’s InsideOut

Kettal’s rugs have a non-slip surface

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Expo Guide Exhibitions you cannot miss

CARPETS FURNITURE RUGS BEDS LAMINATE UPHOLSTERY VINYL ACCESSORIES

PHOTO: LUCIANO PASCALI, COURTESY OF COSMIT

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3F 5-9 September

EXPO GUIDE

International recognition

As preparations get under way for the 26th International Famous Furniture Fair (Dongguan) exhibitors are still enjoying the benefits of taking part in the March show. The USA’s largest manufacturer, Ashley Furniture, participated for the first time with a 5,000sqft stand showcasing dedicated product lines for the Chinese market. ‘We have received around 1,400 applications from Chinese retailers who want to open Ashley stores. It is unbelievable,’ says Chuck Spang, Ashley Furniture president of international operations. The company is now in talks with the show organiser on having a larger presence in future 3F shows. Ashley is not the only international company wanting a share in China by participating in 3F. Managed and represented by Dongguan firm Matrix Marketing, eight international brands – Vera Wang, Surya, Springmaid, Wamsutta, Cindy Crawford, Magnussen Home, Rowe and Court of Versailles – made a joint appearance for the first time. ‘We have signed 15 retailers during the show and are on the

Interiors Monthly June 2011

way to our goal of 100 stores in China,’ says Richard Magnussen, ceo of Canadian manufacturer Magnussen Home. ‘Our price point of medium to high was well received. We also received good comments from Chinese retailers.’ Running alongside the Famous Furniture Woodworking Machinery and Materials Fair and Dongguan Home Accents Fair, the trio of shows covered 270,000sqm with 1,022 exhibitors. Some 102,700 buyers, including 10,520 from overseas visited. Organised by Dongguan Famous Furniture Association and Hong Kong Furniture Association, 3F was set up to ‘serve the development needs of the furniture industry in Dongguan and China’. Over the years, the two associations have built 3F to what is now the leading trade platform for China’s furniture industry. It has launched many initiatives to assist growth including the promotion of design with the Famous Furniture Design Competition and the New Design Generation. Visit www.3f.net.cn for more information.

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The Bed Show 27-28 September

EXPO GUIDE

Investing in Britain The UK’s largest bed specific exhibition, The Bed Show, is a must-visit event for bed retailers. Last year’s inaugural show attracted some 1,200 visitors. ‘Nowhere else will visitors get to see this wide a range of large and small companies and most major UK brands,’ says Jessica Alexander, National Bed Federation executive director. Only NBF members can exhibit, which means visitors placing orders are investing in and supporting British manufacturing and British made products. They also have the added assurance of dealing with reputable manufacturers with a good standard of product quality and safety, service and behaviour, and suppliers with a good footing in the UK market. ‘It’s organised by the bed industry for the bed industry so any surplus income from the event is reinvested in promoting the industry and encouraging the British public to buy more beds,’ says Alexander. The 27-28 September event will move to two larger halls at the International Centre, Telford, West Midlands. Announced at the show will be the winners of the first NBF Industry Awards, with four categories: Independent Bed Retailer of the Year, Multiple Bed Retailer of the Year Retail, Bed Manufacturer of the Year and Bed Supplier of the Year. Winners will be announced at the NBF Gala Dinner on 27 September, hosted by impressionist Jon Culshaw. Tickets are £65, including drinks reception, dinner and awards ceremony. Visit www.bedshow.co.uk to vote, pre-register and to book accommodation.

Exhibitors Companies attending include: Airsprung Beds, Apropa Machinery, Bodet & Horst, Breasley Consumer Products, Burgess Beds, Carpenter, CPS Group, Cumberland Bedding, Deslee Clama, Dormeo, Dunlopillo, Enchanted House, Enkev, Furmanac, Gainsborough Beds, Gateway Systems, Golden Night Beds, Hampton Bed Company, Harrison Beds, Healthbeds, Hestia, Highgate Beds, Hush-A-Bye, Hypnos, Stuart Jones, Kayfoam, Kaymed, Kyoto Futons, Leggett & Platt, MPT Group, Maes Mattress Ticking, MiBed, Millbrook Beds, Monks International, Myer’s Beds, Nelsons Labels, Palatine Beds, Pieters Textiel, Rawson Fillings, Relyon, Seetall Furniture, The Shire Bed Company, SilentSleep Beds, Simmons Bedding Group, Sleepeezee, Sleepshaper, Slumberland, Somnus, Spotnails, Springform Technology, Sprung Slumber, Staples, Stellini, Subinas, Sunds Velour, Swanglen, Sweet Dreams, A Tarr, Vi-Spring, Vita Cellular Foams and Vogue Beds.

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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PHOTO: RALPH ALSWANG/CLINTON FOUNDATION

Las Vegas Summer Market 1-5 August

EXPO GUIDE

Bill Clinton will give the keynote address at the Summer Market

From strength to strength Energetic, engaging and memorable – that’s what Las Vegas Market sets out to be for its exhibitors and visitors from the USA and around the world. Summer Market, which runs from 1-5 August 2011 at the World Market Center is planned to be just that. This market goes from strength to strength, with the combination of permanent and temporary exhibitors destined to inspire its many visitors. Demand for additional space means that August will see the temporary high design exhibitors of Design & Living moving to their new location in Building C, already home to the Las Vegas Design Center. Buyers will be treated to exciting product launches, beautiful styles and glittering displays. The fifth floor of Building C will be the showcase of Gift+Home, one of the newest members of the Las Vegas Market fold. Already a key player in the US gift and decor market, this show will see some 200 exhibitors offering a multitude of new designs. On opening night home furnishings industry professionals will have a unique opportunity to have a ‘Conversation with Bill Clinton’. The former US president is the keynote speaker, giving visitors an exclusive opportunity to hear his insights and

Interiors Monthly June 2011

solutions on the most pressing economic and social issues. He will focus on the challenge of globalisation, emphasise growing interdependence, and point the way toward a common future based on shared goals and values. Following his keynote address, Clinton will participate in a question and answer session with the audience. It’s been an exciting time for World Market Center Las Vegas – the new International Market Centers announced a $1bn investment to unite iconic showroom assets in High Point, North Carolina and Las Vegas, creating an effective, efficient and compelling world-class business-to-business platform. New synergies will begin to unfold at the Summer Market. In addition to the wealth of home furnishings manufacturers, visitors will be able to take advantage of many educational, trend-setting, industry and business seminars that provide strategic tools to make their business successful. All this within a city known for its glitter, hospitality, convenience and fun. There are daily direct international flights and more than 140,000 hotel rooms to suit any budget, not to mention world famous restaurants, entertainment, shopping and attractions. To register, visit www.lasvegasmarket.com.

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IFM 6-10 September

EXPO GUIDE

Premium service The International Furniture Market (IFM) debuts in Malaysia from 6-10 September and is expected to feature 200 to 300 exhibitors in an area of about 60,000sqm. Almost half of the space has been booked, with exhibitors from Malaysia and elsewhere in Asia, including China, Indonesia, India, Thailand and Singapore. Joseph Goh, ceo of organiser Promodex Exposition Consortium, says: ‘More than just another ordinary furniture show, the event will be a spectacular showcase of the industry’s latest trends and premium product offerings. ‘Rather than a plethora of all and sundry, IFM has concentrated of premium products. It will also feature a wider spread of products. In addition to lounge, dining, bedroom and kitchen furniture, there will be youth and hospitality furniture, furnishings and accessories.’ The dates complement other autumn events in the region. Buyers who are already in Asia to attend shows such as Furniture China in Shanghai from 14-17 September will find the dates of IFM convenient, he says. Also, holding the show in September helps ease the congestion in the calendar during March and is well timed for buyers developing product lines for the coming year. ‘IFM will provide a more relaxed atmosphere so that both exhibitors and buyers can meet, hold discussions and forge stronger relationships,’ says Goh. Held at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang, visitors can enjoy the show at their own pace. While situated away from the hustle and bustle of the city of Kuala Lumpur, MAEPS is conveniently located minutes away from major highways and is easily accessible from the airport and hotels. IFM will provide services including complimentary shuttles, an immigration express lane, official hotels, buyers’ business lounge and gala dinner night. Visit www.ifm.net.my for more information.

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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Mood

13-15 September

EXPO GUIDE

Cosy and compact

Upholstery fabric, window and wall coverings show MoOD (Meet only Original Designs) will see a reorganisation for the 13-15 September event as it reduces from four halls to three. This deliberate choice was made to use the number of square metres in the best possible way. In doing this, the spaces are better filled, the atmosphere is better, the show stays about the same size and it remains the biggest market forum of its kind, according to the event’s organiser. Sister fair Indigo moves from hall 9 to hall Patio and the space that becomes available goes to MoOD exhibitors. Expofil Déco gets a new name, MoOD Yarns, and will be in hall 9. Hall 11 plays host to the trend area and Blue Drop awards. The trend story is no longer told by a sample bank, but by using a concept and a colour story. For the Blue Drops, MoOD 2011 will select 50 products. These will be presented with feedback and signs towards the exhibitors. From these Best of the Best, seven awards will be chosen – three product awards and four thematic awards. Hall 7’s programme is built around innovation. This is in three parts: the classic sample bank and two new initiatives – Stop innovating, start implementing, illustrating the daily use of innovative products, and the Flemish Masters, showing finished prototypes/objects developed within an experimental context. For more information visit www.moodbrussels.com.

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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EXPO GUIDE

September sees the combination of five shows covering the spectrum of interiors products as Maison & Objet, ScĂ¨nes dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;intĂŠrieur, Projets, Now! Design Ă Vivre and Maison & Objet Outdoor-Indoor take place from 9-13 September at the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre. ScĂ¨nes dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;intĂŠrieur is the show for the great international brands in decoration marked by excellence, luxury and extravagance. Now! Design Ă Vivre is the international show for design for the home â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the soul of design at a single show. See a

,17(5,25 0217+/<B352-(76B6 B [ B*% LQGG

preview of the essentials in innovation and creation with collections of objects and furniture at the heart of the new inspirations in design. Maison & Objet Projets is the event for solutions dedicated to high end specifiers. Maison & Objet Outdoor-Indoor is the annual show for the art of outdoor-indoor living. Maison & Objet is divided into themed sections including interior decoration, home accessories, tableware and home textiles across seven halls.

Maison & Objet 9-13 September

French collection

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17-20 July

EXPO GUIDE

Manchester Furniture Show

Time for introductions The Manchester Furniture Show continues to expand, further cementing its position as the country’ second largest domestic furniture trade show. More than 120 companies will be taking part, so what can visitors expect?

Right: Lebus’ Raffles Top left: Elstead Lighting’s Simona Above right: Limelight’s Phoenix

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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EXPO GUIDE

Both AMX and Ashley Manor will debut collections. ‘Retailers will be able to explore AMX’s Discovery collection of vintage leathers infused with aged tans, tied together with antique kilim cloths from faraway lands and injected with fired reds, earthen mocha and desert yellow, truly a feast for the most cautious of buying eyes,’ says Steve Morgan, group sales director. Ashley Manor will tell a soft cover story of cool summer shades adorned with dazzling dashes of sunlit colour on timeless shapes, he adds. âââ

Manchester Furniture Show 17-20 July

Left: Ashley Manor’s Bentley Below: AMX’s Explorer

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Manchester Furniture Show

17-20 July

EXPO GUIDE Right: Jade is expanding its cabinet offer Below: Ruddiman Furniture’s Flowerbomb Bottom: Rainbow Upholstery’s Hugo

Cintique will show off its latest showwood upholstery designs and fabrics while Corndell highlights the new oak finish for its Pure modular home office collection. DaVinci is introducing a number of models from its Premium collection, including Muse. Now part of the Elstead Lighting Group, Lui’s Collection offers more than 80 lamps and shades, ranging from iconic oriental shapes and patterns to the more contemporary solid cut glass Glisse range and modern colourful and textured ceramic Mode range. Exclusive UK will look to build on the success of its marble dining Premier Collection. Highgrove Suites will launch its 2011 upholstery and dining chair ranges with a promise of providing the country’s lowest cost products. Highlights of Hyder Living’s stand will include the white painted Clifton guest bed available with or without

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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Manchester Furniture Show

17-20 July

EXPO GUIDE

Left: Corndell’s Pure Below: Vogue’s Utopia Bottom: Exclusive UK’s Atlantis

trundle and the Hampton bedstead in white painted or oak finishes with vertical spindles in a shaped foot and headboard. Jade Furnishers is expanding its cabinet offering while Kettle Interiors will show its 2011 furniture collections, including the launch of a range combining duck egg blue paint with contrasting oak tops. At the nearby Midland Hotel Lebus Upholstery is displaying its extensive UK-made upholstery collection. It will debut a recliner range in response to stockists’ demands for a UK manufactured range of action furniture with quick delivery, and its trademark snuggle and cozy corner ranges will be extended. From Limelight Beds will be its latest metal and wood

Interiors Monthly June 2011

051_IM_0611 31/5/11 11:02 Page 1 Lebus HH April:Lebus HH 18/05/2011 08:50 Page 1

Raffles Lebus Upholstery The Art of British Upholstery Design

Tel: 01724 407 751

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Manchester Furniture Show

17-20 July

EXPO GUIDE

bedsteads while Mark Webster Designs is unveiling UK-made soft cover upholstery alongside oak, mango and sheesham dining ranges. Originals UK is highlighting its Talin casual, rustic styled, oak dining collection with natural knots. Rainbow Upholstery is also emphasising the UK-made nature of its products. RM Furniture will launch the Sennan and Randolph bedroom ranges to the independent sector. Including beds, bedside tables, wardrobes and chests of drawers, both ranges are made in solid oak and walnut with solid oak drawers with dovetails. Making its UK debut is Swedish wholesaler Rowico, with smoky aged oak and reclaimed materials forming the centrepiece of its launches. Ruddiman Furniture is launching a rug collection, featuring classic designs with modern colours and various sizes. SJS Furniture is debuting the Natural Hampton living collection and the expanded Natural Hampton bedroom range alongside Potty Pots hand-made terracotta pots finished Top: Kettleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Provence Above: Cintique will show its latest showwood upholstery Left: Totem Furnitureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side tables

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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Jade Furnishers Ltd

Furnishers

43-49 Fowler Road Hainault Industrial Estate Hainault, Essex IG6 3UL T: 020 8501 5013 F: 020 8501 5014 E: sales @ jadefurnishers.co.uk W: www.jadefurnishers.co.uk

NEW Torino Range

Available in white, walnut and metallic black high gloss

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Manchester Furniture Show

17-20 July

EXPO GUIDE

in hand-woven natural fibres and appliquéd banana leaf. TCS will show only one model – Leonardo – displaying it in all the available combinations. Totem Furniture will be launching four ranges, from modern oak and stainless steel to classic and country house, covering bedroom, living and dining and home office. Value Mark Furniture is unveiling dining and occasional ranges and extending its art and lighting collections. Vogue Beds will highlight its new Blu Cool memory foam range while Willis & Gambier is showing its latest dining, bedroom and occasional furniture collections. Also highlighting bedroom ranges is German flatpack firm Wimex Wohnbedarf. For more information visit: www.manchesterfurnitureshow.com.

Clockwise from top: Mark Webster’s Linea; Willis & Gambier’s Talin; DaVinci’s Muse; Hyder Living’s Hampton

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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EXPO GUIDE

Above: Mastercraft’s Galleria Below: Axminster added five colours to Devonia including Dragonfly

More than 50 suppliers to the Flooring One, Metro, SMG and BRM buying groups gathered in Solihull on 16-17 May. Flooring One members attended The Flooring Show on 16 May and Flooring One and members of the other groups visited the next day. So what was on offer? Interfloor launched the Imprezzo branded LVT in an 8in plank with underlay and a non-click system. A 6in plank will follow. Ulster Carpets previewed the 50oz Grange Wilton available in 24 colours and plain and heathers and launched the Wools of New Zealand Laneve branded Open Spaces Auckland and Open Spaces Queenstown. Three colourways – light grey, soft green and light brown – were added to Anatolia, while Country House Beaumont was extended with four plaids. Associated Weavers debuted the Cashmere Texture and New Mood that previewed at Domotex alongside Stainguard Saxony. Mastercraft introduced several rug designs including Galleria, a collection mixing heavy and soft touch, and Highlight, a range of two-tone designs.

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The Flooring Show/Buying Groups National Flooring Show 16-17 May

All together

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The Flooring Show/Buying Groups National Flooring Show 16-17 May

EXPO GUIDE Axminster Carpets added five colours to Devonia: light blue, vintage rose, blue grass, light grey heather and stone heather. Gaskell recoloured Neapolitan and Coliseum and previewed the loop pile Camden and three-ply Bloomsbury. Mr Tomkinson previewed the narrow striped Napoli and the 50/50 Bowland. Brink & Campman introduced its first 6ft x 4ft rugs, including Estella. Tollgate Bespoke launched the Wools of New Zealand Laneve branded Solar, available in 15 standard colours and its bespoke colour service. Asiatic Carpets previewed several designs including the pebble effect Pebble Beach, the shaggy Plume, the sparkly Brilliant range, ribbed Mica and rose covered Roses. Cavalier previewed the Criterion narrow stripe and recoloured several ranges. Kenton Floors expanded its Vusta VLT collection while Ted Todd launched its 124 page brochure, featuring the Artisan engineered floor. Rama widened its Tropics collection including Colour Couture available in 120 colours and four designs with a six-week delivery time. Kersaint Cobb added to its engineered floor collection with new colours including silver and grey, and two plank widths that fit together, allowing the creation of unique floors including moving from light to dark from room to room without joins. Adore Touch previewed a 14 shade LVT range while Sensa introduced new profiles. Updating POS and display stands was important for many suppliers. Adore Touch, Associated Weavers, Crucial Trading, Kenton Floors, Kersaint Cobb, Sensa, Ted Todd, Vorwerk and Wools of New Zealand all showed off display stands.

Ted Todd’s Artisan Hockenhall

Winners take the floor: In a repeat of the 2010 awards, Flooring One members voted Cormar as Carpet Supplier of the Year, Mastercraft as Rug Supplier of the Year and Hall’s Flooring as Smooth Flooring Supplier of the Year. Axminster was runner up and Victoria third in the carpet category. From left: Mastercraft’s Thomas Dickson; Hall’s Floorings’ Robert Hall and Cormar’s Roger Clarke collect their awards Ulster Carpets’ Country House Beaumont in Brindle

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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Advertising feature: Edel Telenzo

Bakerloo

Chamonix

Winning formula Edel Telenzo stockists know they are on to a winner with a company which delivers stylish, well-priced tufted carpets for domestic and contract markets. Edel Telenzo offers the UK market a range of 35-40 qualities and its textured loop pile carpets are sold through more than 1,000 stockists across the UK. The company specialises in tufted 100% wool or high wool content qualities with emphasis on textures and sophisticated natural shades. Some of Edel Telenzo’s latest products include: Chelsea, a 100% wool, tough, Scotchgarded three-ply level loop in 4m and 5m widths and nine earthy colours ranging from cream to graphite; Chamonix, a 100% two-ply New Zealand wool, thick, deep pile in four modern classic neutral shades; and Bakerloo, a 100% wool multi-stripe option offered in a mix of neutral browns, greys and beiges, mulberry and plum. The Edel Telenzo merger took place around

Chelsea

eight years ago when Edel purchased Telenzo. Edel – which is particularly strong in the UK contract and wholesale market, with gel-back PP and PA products – wanted to add a wool division to the group and did this by taking over Telenzo. The company’s roots go back to 1918 and today Edel Telenzo Carpets is part of the Edel International group of companies and benefits from the group’s continued investment in research, design, development and production technology and services, producing quality products made for a demanding market. Great attention is paid to ease of maintenance, durability, colour fastness and light resistance, anti-static and fireproof properties. Its production takes place under one roof – allowing for a quick response to customer and market demands. The company manufactures its own synthetic fibre, can heat-set the yarn within the company, producing solution dyed fibres that guarantee fast colours and easy

stain removal. All carpet backing – whether gel, Action Bac or felt – is also carried out inhouse. The latest tufting machines are used to create the carpets themselves. The company’s background in weaving with natural fibre stood it in good stead when it came to developing special tufted wool qualities. It was one of the first companies to develop qualities with a multi-ply yarn system. Edel and Telenzo have been selling carpets in the UK since the 1970s. The UK subsidiary based in Elland, West Yorkshire, is one of the largest of the company’s export operations with a fully staffed office and 14 outside sales staff. Some of the staff have been with the company for between 20 and 30 years – such as Lesley Inman, UK operations manager, who has been with the company for 28 years – which is indicative both of the loyalty of its staff and agents, and also of the overall stability of the company.

Edel Telenzo Carpets Ltd, 2-4 Southgate, Elland, West Yorkshire HX5 0BW Tel: 01422 374 417 Fax: 01422 377 452 Email: sales@edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk

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Quickheat works with all laminate and engineered floors

‘All the heat is directed upwards meaning a warm floor in only 30 minutes’ Pergo used the event to launch Quickheat, an underfloor heating system that can be installed without the need for an electrician. ‘Quickheat allows consumers to forget everything they’ve heard about how time consuming and expensive it is to install comfortable heating beneath their feet,’ says Kate Male, Pergo UK marketing manager. Often underfloor heating is only installed when a house is being built or renovated, but with Quickheat such major building work is not needed. The modular system consists of two layers of foam with a third middle layer containing a reflective aluminium foil surface and heating cables. Once the existing flooring is removed and the subfloor exposed, the Quickheat mats are rolled out and clicked together and the laminate or engineered floor fitted. ‘Thanks to the insulation and heat reflective surface, all the heat is directed upwards meaning a warm floor in only 30 minutes,’ says Male. She says the system can mean energy savings, reducing the average room temperature by 2-3degrees compared with heating by radiators. Unlike radiators, the hotter air is nearer the floor rather than the ceiling. Quickheat’s thermostat is connected to a residual current device in the event of a fault. Consumers can find out how much matting they need online at Pergo.com.

Interiors Monthly June 2011

The mats click together and replace underlay

The Flooring Show/Buying Groups National Flooring Show 16-17 May

EXPO GUIDE

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BUYING GROUPS

Greendale has its own warehouse and all ranges are rebranded

No fear of an identity crisis Helping independent retailers with a variety of services is the aim of buying groups The thought of joining a buying group for some retailers is akin to handing over the keys to their nearest rival. But while the main buying groups differ in the exact mix of services they offer, the one thing they share is the desire for members to retain their independence, with no thought of telling the retailer how to run their business. ‘Greendale’s large own labelled collection is particularly relevant to independent retailers in the current business climate. With severe competition at retail and online level on branded ranges, the group’s policy of

renaming all its ranges and backing this with geographic exclusivity is proving appealing to existing and new members,’ says Rob Harding, Greendale chief executive. More than 100 ranges are included in the Greendale portfolio and all are renamed down to colour level, with a large number stocked in Greendale’s Hereford warehouse. These include industry leading UK ranges, top continental roll-only products and the group’s own UK-made exclusive range of wool products. ‘The latter are designed and

Barrow-in-Furness store Stollers has recently installed a Greendale studio

manufactured to Greendale’s own specifications and offer outstanding value to members. All are supported by the group’s own resources in Hereford including a sales office, customer service, accounts and a full cutting and wrapping service,’ Harding says. As a mutual organisation, Greendale is run on a non-profit basis with all roll purchasing benefits passed on to members in the form of lower prices. A full range of branded display units including wall units, lecterns and tombolas with specially selected collections is available. Both Greendale and the upmarket Elizabeth Grieves ranges are supported with full sampling and merchandising. Additionally seven Greendale agents are available to assist members and their staff on a local basis. ‘All members pay the same respective of size with no gimmicks like rebates. They also receive a wide range of other benefits including membership of the British Independent Retailers Association [formerly the British Shops and Stores Association],’ says Harding. Online marketing support includes advertising and ticketing software and a manual with details of all ranges. The group is holding a show and dinner on 16 October giving members the opportunity to talk with other members and see the latest products.

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BUYING GROUPS

It’s all about the services When looking at membership there’s more to consider than prices, says SMG For Chris Moffatt, SMG chief executive, it isn’t the price of products but the other services on offer that differentiate the buying groups. This is what retailers should consider when thinking about joining a group, he reckons. ‘All the buying groups offer broadly similar terms so it’s a question of services and benefits for retailers,’ he says. ‘Retailers are fearful that the groups want to take over their business but that’s completely untrue – the retailers remain the retailers. We are here to give them options to make their business more successful.’ Being a member can give retailers, especially newer retailers, access to products they can’t get if they don’t have direct accounts with suppliers. One of SMG’s unique points is promoting UK manufacturers. ‘We have to support UK manufacturing and our members want to deal with UK firms,’ Moffatt says. ‘There is the advantage of no currency changes and if there are any customer service issues, they are on the doorstep. The formula continues to work for members and we aren’t going to change it.’ He says the group is looking for good quality retailers across the country. ‘Recommendations from manufacturers and other retailers can help membership applications. Retailers are also increasingly taking up our offer of lower cost websites. We are also looking at social networks and how we can promote products to consumers and then back to the retail members,’ says Moffatt. Above: Display stands are available for members Below: SMG runs a series of promotions throughout the year while newsletters keep members up to date

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BUYING GROUPS

Protecting independence Members can select from a multitude of services offered by Flooring One

Flooring One has a name and reputation in the flooring industry that is envied by many and as part of Associated Independent Stores (AIS), the largest voluntary non-food central buying and marketing organisation in the UK, it has all the services and support systems needed by today’s flooring specialist, according to Glenn Harding, Flooring One controller. Together with maximising members’ profit potential, protecting their independence is the fundamental reason for Flooring One’s existence, and its success, he says. ‘Flooring One enables independent stores and specialist flooring retailers to benefit from a level of buying power, marketing and administration services and access to exclusive brands normally only enjoyed by high street multiples, at the same time protecting and even developing both the identity and independence of members,’ he says. Flooring One offers a compendium of services from which members can pick and choose according to their individual needs. ‘Flooring One’s collective buying power means that major carpet and flooring manufacturers are keen to do business with us, on some of the best terms available all through our central payment system Cenpac. One direct debit payment from Cenpac settles all

Interiors Monthly June 2011

Members can attend the show in Solihull, use prepared advertisements and benefit from exclusive ranges

suppliers’ invoices, and members’ administration is greatly reduced,’ Harding explains. The in-house team further maximises buying power by sourcing exclusive products and developing own label brands to display alongside manufacturer’s brands, precluding direct price comparison and consequential profit reductions. The group identified marketing support and merchandising as areas where independent retailers and small groups were at a disadvantage. Now members are provided annually with a marketing manual containing a portfolio

of flooring photography, advertising suggestions and marketing ideas. Harding says Flooring One is much more than just a buying group. The Flooring Show in Solihull, is a key annual event offering members a valuable opportunity to meet each other to discuss business and share information. ‘What more do we offer? Well, members benefit from a consumer website, their own direct personal members.net communications link, online training, credit and insurance support, group procurement opportunities for insurance, power and accessories, and on it goes,’ he says.

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‘Strength in numbers!’

It’s not easy for an Independent retailer to match the sheer marketing power of a national retail network. At Flooring One/AIS we understand the costs that go with running a business. It is your business; it is your biggest asset and our aim is to provide support and services to help you achieve your sales and profit ambitions without interfering in your business. You have the financial strength of a 200 STRONG FLOORING GROUP behind you with access to product and buying information, offers, marketing, rebates and genuine exclusivity. We have a name and reputation in the flooring industry for over 30 years and we are renowned for the quality of our members all over the UK. If you want to have that added STRENGTH, be part of the best, join Flooring One.

Call Glenn Harding now to find about these great benefits, plus many others...on 0121 683 1427 or email Glenn at glenn.harding@flooringone.co.uk

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BUYING GROUPS

Try before you buy Trial membership can show retailers the benefits of joining a buying group

Members earn money through the rebate scheme

Retailers may be interested in joining a buying group but unsure if membership is for them, so for this reason Metro offers trial membership. ‘Retailers’ customers insist on samples, so we’ve decided to offer a sample to retailers,’ says David Kipping, Metro chief executive. ‘We are offering retailers the opportunity to sample the benefits of membership for up to a year. There is no risk and no commitment and so nothing to lose.’ Kipping says he is confident retailers will quickly see the benefits and sign up for full membership. ‘Many retailers who thought they were buying at the lowest possible prices are shocked to learn how much better they can buy as a Metro member. An independent may feel they are doing good business with their core suppliers, but unsurprisingly, £60m of Metro purchasing power gets you a better deal,’ he says.

Interiors Monthly June 2011

Personalised websites direct shoppers to members

Kipping dismisses the misconception that a group like Metro wants to tell independents how to run their business. ‘Nothing could be further from the truth. Metro simply provides the tools a retailer needs to make more profit, together with help and advice on how to sell more. None of this is compulsory – members can pick and choose from our menu of benefits,’ he explains. It is four years since the group introduced higher rebate levels – up to 7.5% – on its own label Carpet1st products. The rebate is paid quarterly, with some retailers earning some £20,000 a year through the scheme. ‘The rebate scheme is very, very popular with our members, giving them substantial income in difficult trading conditions, and has dramatically increased our Carpet1st sales – products that they were already selling but now earning more money from them,’ he says. Tied in with the exclusivity of the Carpet1st ranges, is the individualised

ecommerce website available to members. Each website uses the name of the business selling the groups’ Carpet1st branded ranges. This offers each member their own personalised website, selling less price sensitive own-label products, backed up with a free 24-hour sample service. ‘As the main website directs consumers to the one single nearest member, and having the protection of our own branding, means that members can promote their websites locally, while making good margins,’ says Kipping. It is also a good example of how retailers can gain access to facilities needed to keep ahead of rivals that they would be unlikely to afford if they were not part of the group. ‘The Internet has shown how essential it is to embrace new technologies and keep ahead of the competition. A good buying group should be able to guide members through this minefield,’ adds Kipping.

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Fuorisalone

REVIEW

City living It wasn’t just the Rho exhibition centre that played host to the best new products in Milan With more than 775 events spread throughout Milan, from product launches to high art, Fuorisalone continued to strengthen its must-see credentials. B&B Italia’s Husk chair offers standard, large and very large cushions or a headrest, while the moulded recycled plastic body’s support can be either fixed or rotating. An ottoman footrest is also available. B&B highlighted the green credentials of Patricia Urquiola’s design with recycled and recyclable materials and fully dismantable components. Benchmark’s Puck side table comes in solid walnut or oak, in two sizes. Among Case’s many launches were Matthew Hilton’s Theo sofa system and its first outdoor collection, Eos. Outdoor was also important for Cassina, with outdoor versions of the classic LC series. Despite its iconic status,

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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REVIEW

Fuorisalone

Opposite page Top: SCP’s Oscar Bottom: Cassina’s Veliero This page Top left: Nemo’s Corazones Top right: Poltrona Frau’s Lelit Left: B&B Italia’s Husk Right: Maxalto’s Febo Bottom left: Valcucine Living’s Operam Bottom right: Modus’ Drew

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Fuorisalone

REVIEW

Franco Albini’s Veliero bookcase has only ever been seen in the flesh by those who visited his home from 1940 to 1960 before the vibrations from loud music shattered several glass shelves causing it to collapse, and a short exhibition in 1979. Cassina has spent the past five years creating a stable version of the design with increased load bearing. Comforty debuted a host of sofas with references to the 1960s design under the Future Classics banner, while Daniel Rohr’s Brain and Microchip was a more technology inspired collection of tables. Denon’s Play Tan uses the 45degree angle of chairs in Paris’s Luxembourg gardens, which designer Philippe Starck says is perfect for ‘inducing a semi-open mental state – for moments suspended between slumber and awareness, which leave you totally free to fantasise, to formulate, to generate ideas and to pursue dreams.’ Diesel and Zucchi’s bedlinen collection includes Pure Denim, doing what it says on the tin, while Domodinamica’s Autumn steel bookcase has a chromatic rust effect, resembling a tree in autumn. Innermost’s Koi uses the form of a fish scale for its inspiration while Matthew Hilton’s McQueen range combines solid timber, cast iron and fabrics with echoes of colder northern climates.

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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REVIEW

Opposite page Top: Comforty’s Genoty Centre: Case’s Theo Bottom left: Dedon’s Play Tan Bottom right: Slide’s Kami This page Top left: Modus’ Palais Top right: Comforty’s Zulu Left: Innermost’s Koi Bottom left: Matthew Hilton’s McQueen Bottom right: Pinch’s Willo

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Fuorisalone

REVIEW

Maxalto’s Febo was expanded with an enveloping chair while Modus’ offering contained a host of new winners. The Part Sofa by PearsonLloyd is an uncomplicated modular design, Michael Sodeau’s Palais sofa has a front panel detail while Kirsty White’s Drew range has a meeting table, high and low occasional tables and coat stand with steel rods. Moooi’s Woood table has a raised edge to keep items on an even keel and a gap for cables. A graceful presence unites Nemo’s Corazones LED lamp and Pinch’s Willo oak coffee table with steam-bent ash legs. Poltrona Frau’s Ginger chair has a choice of fixed or swivel base to accompany its leather shell while the Lelit bed with wing-like headboard is Paola Navone’s first design for the company. SCP’s Oscar modular sofa by Matthew Hilton combines modernity with tradition with its deep feather cushions, sewn-in pulls and tuned front feet. Slide’s Kami is inspired by origami and includes tables and upholstery while Valcucine Living’s Operam storage system features aluminium bookcases with an 8mm frame and a wall-hung desk.

Interiors Monthly June 2011

Left: Modus’ The Part Sofa Right: Cassina’s LC3 Below: Moooi’s Woood desk Bottom left: Domodinamica’s Autumn Bottom right: Comforty’s Nobel

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REVIEW

Fuorisalone Top: Benchmark’s Puck Above left: Poltrona Frau’s Ginger Above right: Diesel’s Pure Denim Left: Daniel Rohr’s Brain and Microchips

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BEDS AND BEDROOM Left: Hypnos aims to be carbon neutral by the end of 2012 Below: Palatine’s Athena contains coir, horse hair and lambs wool

Environmental

action Being even greener is on the agenda for two bed firms Following its decision to support The Campaign for Wool by including British wool within its Heritage collection, Hypnos has further boosted its green credentials. The bed firm has abandoned using layers of impervious foam in its beds, replacing them with eOlus fibre, which is made from recycled plastic bottles. ‘In tests, this new environmentally friendly fibre outperforms both foam and memory foam, with its unique verticallycrimped design allowing air to pass through it easily, providing a breathable layer that reduces body temperature and moisture quicker than foam, yet with a

Interiors Monthly June 2011

similar soft feel and sponginess,’ says Stephen Ward, Hypnos md. As part of its efforts to operate in a sustainable manner, Hypnos has pledged to further minimise its carbon footprint through a series of strategic changes to its business. This includes the introduction of a carbon offsetting programme that will see Hypnos aim to plant 1,000 trees a year in UK woodlands and local school grounds. Its beds are already 100% recyclable at the end of their life, ensuring Hypnos beds never need go to landfill. It has now developed a retailer format of its successful hotel bed recycling business, The Furniture Recycling Company, which

collects then shreds old mattresses and divans, creating recycled raw materials for other industries. ‘Hypnos aims to be carbon neutral by the end of 2012 – we are proud to create hand-crafted beds not only with a Royal Warrant, but with a genuine claim to be caring, green and conscientious,’ Ward adds. Palatine has also responded to increased consumer demand for traditional natural mattress filings with the introduction of the Pandora and Athena models. Hand-made at its Newcastle factory, it uses coir, horse hair and lambs wool.

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The new Stanton TV bed has been designed with an ultra slim footend and beautiful curved cushioned headboard for maximum comfort in this media haven. The remote control mechanism has the capacity to house a 32 inch TV and the easy access side rail compartment has ample storage for every media requirement. Available in ivory or brown Ohio leather in sizes Double 4ft6, King 5ft and Super king 6ft. For further information contact Kaydian tel: 0191 2712118 email: sales@kaydian.co.uk Kaydian, Redburn House, Redburn Road, Westerhope, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 1NB T: 0191 2712118 F: 0191 2862846 E: sales@kaydian.co.uk W: www.kaydian.co.uk

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BEDS AND BEDROOM

Global superdesigners The latest designs show that although the UK is not the manufacturing giant it once was, its designers still are

British furniture manufacturing isn’t the global powerhouse of previous decades, but our influence remains global as the latest beds and bedroom designs show. Matthew Hilton’s McQueen bed and coordinating chest of drawers, made and distributed by De La Espada, is typical of his strong, elegant and down-to-earth designs with a pervading sense of longlasting qualities and escaping north European winters. The Talamo bed by Damian Williamson follows his 2010 William sofas for Zanotta. The contemporary design features a steel base with curved beech staves, an upholstered headboard covered with fabric or leather, and aluminum-alloy feet. ‘Talamo is what it is, it does not pretend to be what it is not – a bed clearly related to the William, maybe a relative? It is characterised by welldefined details and proportions: a platform on which one may dream, rest and make love,’ he says. Kay+Stemmer’s Maude is a new

Interiors Monthly June 2011

Above: Matthew Hilton’s McQueen Left: Zanotta’s Talamo

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BEDS AND BEDROOM version of the Edith and Agnes shelving unit for SCP. Maude is a low two-shelf elongated version of the design, ideal for longer wall spaces. It is made from solid oak with oak veneered shelves. The design has the hallmarks of classical furniture-making training; details include radius edges, a gentle upwards taper and perfect proportion. The result is a notably softened looking design which retains its

Right: SCP’s Maude Below: Pinch’s Lowry armoire (left) and Iona mirror

Interiors Monthly June 2011

aesthetic beauty from whichever angle you look at it, says SCP. Russell Pinch’s Iona Cheval mirror for Pinch is a full-length elliptical mirror framed in solid oak with a shaker-style joint and brass rivet detail at one side. The solid oak A-frame, finished in a matt white oil, allows the mirror to pivot, and supports an off-white lacquered drawer section, whose top doubles as a compact low dressing table.

Pinch’s Lowry armoire features a series of solid wood fins of varying widths and depths creating a sculptural front section. The fins double as door handles which means the piece is one continuous celebration of wood with no visible interruptions. Finishes include Douglas fir finished with a white oil, natural oak, natural walnut, stained walnut and cherry. It can also be made to bespoke dimensions and internal configurations.

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Palatine Beds has had many requests from customers and retailers for natural fillings in their mattresses.

Athena Mattress

The North East’s leading bed manufacturer decided to meet the growing demand by adding to their range two hand made products with natural fillings. They’re proud to launch their newest bed set ‘the Pandora’ and their latest top of the range mattress ‘the Athena’ For your nearest agent, to become a stockist, or for more information about these beds and the rest of the Palatine bed range, contact the Palatine Beds sales team on

0191 2772559 or 0191 2772544 www.palatinebeds.co.uk/trade Pandora Bed

Office opening hours: 8.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday

Palatine Beds, Stamfordham Road, Westerhope, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 5HH Tel: 0191 2772544 (Switchboard) 0191 2772559 Fax 0191 2772550

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BEDS AND BEDROOM

Designed to please Kingstown Furniture’s latest brochure features new and existing ranges Kingstown is pleased with the additions it has made to its range over the past year, which are the result of significant investment in design and research. New ranges Rimini, Bella and Bordeaux – each with its own distinct style – have already received a lot of interest, says Geoff Brailsford, Kingstown group sales director. Rimini features contrasting quartz drawers and trims, and contemporary handles with colour matched inserts. Combining this season’s popular tones of grey with a chunky design, Bordeaux has a dark finish with a modern twist, while Bella features a vanilla mist painted finish. The company’s latest 36-page brochure features the new ranges, along with a number of its most successful collections. These include three Simply Fitted ranges, Nicole, Michelle and Louise; the contemporary Mono; the oak finish Serena collection; and Kingstown’s bestselling range, Signature. ‘In addition to the development of our new collections, we have worked incredibly hard to enhance and extend our existing range, ensuring that we continue to provide consumers with a wide variety of styles and designs to suit every taste. These enhancements include the introduction of soft-close doors in a number of ranges,’ explains Brailsford. There have also been a number of additions to freestanding Serena, including a three-door wardrobe, a fivedrawer 600 chest, and a two-drawer bedside table.

Interiors Monthly June 2011

Top: the new Bordeaux Left: Bestselling Signature Below: Freestanding Serena

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WHOLESALE

Right timing Upgrading its warehousing is allowing Flexicube to offer guaranteed delivery times Flexicube, the UK division of cabinet importer Flexiload, has completed the development of its warehouse in Rugby, Warwickshire. With additional racking and mezzanine flooring to the premises near the M1/M6 junction, Flexicube is now carrying all stock in-house. This will see it offer a dozen ranges with a promise of guaranteed delivery within five working days from the date of order. Customers can choose any configuration of products, with a minimum order of 10cu m. Its online ordering system features live stock information so retailers can see which items are in stock and when out of stock products will be available. Payment can also be made via the website using credit or debit card or by BACS, at which point stock is automatically allocated. Deliveries are made using Flexicube’s vehicles and its staff who are trained to deliver furniture. Among the collections on offer is the new Aspen bedroom range with solid oak frames and non-repeating oak veneer panels. There is a choice of metal and wooden handles, with both included. ‘Aspen is offered at exceptionally competitive prices allowing customers to potentially retail a full-size three-drawer oak bedside unit for £99,’ says Simon Bonham, Flexiload md. Other collections include the Milano American oak dining and bedroom ranges and Welland pine bedroom range. All collections are also available in mixed containers via Flexiload’s website. Top: Toronto Right: Oregon Left: Aspen

Interiors Monthly June 2011

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FLOORCARE

Protection benefits Floorcare products offer repeat add-on sales opportunities

Osmo’s Polyx-Oil Tints

The floorcare market is on the up, according to Steve Grimwood, Osmo UK md. ‘It looks like most companies are introducing new products and hiring new staff – all signs that the market is doing well and we are receiving positive feedback from customers on our products,’ he says. But many retailers are missing out. ‘There are retailers that don’t take up the opportunity, either because they are not aware of it or they are not interested, which means they are missing out on repeat add-on sales – and of course consumers making extra visits to the store when they might see other products they are interested in,’ he explains. The company regularly adds to its product offer, including Polyx-Oil Tints

Interiors Monthly June 2011

which is based on the original Polyx-Oil but with a wider range of colours. These include gold and silver tones which with a special level of pigmentation achieves a glitter finish, especially when the sun catches it. Other colours include white, honey, amber, terra, graphite and black. Fila has changed the raw materials for three of its products – water-based surface protector W68 and grout protector Fugaproof, which are both free from volatile organic compounds, and clear stain protector MP90 – to ensure they comply even more closely with eco-sustainability principles without compromising efficiency. In the new formulations the raw materials used do not generate harmful secondary products during the production phase, nor release dangerous

compounds during application. W68 is designed for natural stone, terracotta (including frost-treated tiles) and concrete application while MP90 promotes easy maintenance of polished marble, granite and porcelain. Fast drying Fugaproof protects grout from stains, without altering appearance, and also makes cleaning easier. 3M has introduced a range of Scotchgard Floor Protectors for stone and vinyl floors. The group says compared to traditional acrylic finishes, which can need four coats on initial application, the products require only two coats with the finish lasting for up to a year with minimal maintenance. When reapplication is needed there is no stripping or deep scrubbing, just cleaning, and only a single recoat provides another year of protection.

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Sales and Account Management Positions The UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest growing provider of Furniture Protection products and services invites applications from individuals with a strong desire to succeed in a demanding and challenging market place. Ideally applicants will have some knowledge of the furniture trade although this is not essential. The right person can expect a generous remuneration package including car or car allowance and commission. Positions are available nationwide and include both full and part time positions.

For further information and to apply for these positions please email Paul Aiston on: paul@staingard.co.uk

To become a Siesta bed stockist call 0121 773 9969 www.siestabeds.co.uk Nationwide Weekly Delivery

POCKET

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CARDIFF

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ENTERTAINMENT

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1 Purimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s month 5 Ruhr city 10 Narrow opening 14 Starchy staple 15 Elected 16 Bananas 17 Long distance shooting? 20 Given to diligent study 21 Break 22 Permit 23 An informer 24 Entertained 28 Microscopic arachnid 29 Madrid Mrs 32 African language group 33 Start of something small? 34 Celestial body 35 Reticent 38 Actress Ward 39 Son of Aphrodite 40 Strong winds 41 Compass point 42 Sorts 43 Governor 44 Jazz singer Anita 45 X 46 Virgin 49 Outmoded 54 Reserved 56 Let it stand 57 Island near Sicily 58 Fit to serve 59 Mariners can sail on seven of these 60 Bubbling 61 Remain undecided

1 Collective word for intellectual pursuits 2 Intake 3 Legal rights org 4 Hollow grass 5 Reverberated 6 Cry out loudly 7 Drunkards 8 That, in Tijuana 9 Pertaining to the Negritos 10 Loose 11 Easy stride 12 Publisher Adolph 13 Playthings 18 Top of the head of a bird 19 Lacoste of tennis 23 Paris end 24 Mistreat 25 Horse locks 26 Sam, for example 27 Portico 28 Legendary ruler of Crete 29 Subway turner 30 Lustrous black 31 Give it ___! 33 Gloomy 34 Deer sir 36 Skin tumour 37 Plan 42 As previously given, in footnotes 43 Posterior 44 Playwright Clifford 45 All, musically 46 Rumple 47 Poker stake 48 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a thought 49 Capital of Norway 50 Riding 51 Fork feature 52 Square 53 Slain 55 Apprehend

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Vogue Beds Group

Blu Cool Memory Foam™ More Cool Less Heat

First time Manchester show for Vogue & Limelight Beds Vogue Beds Group along with its sister Company Limelight Beds will be exhibiting at the Manchester Furniture Show for the very first time in its 21 years of business. Ebrahim Patel, Managing Director of the Vogue Beds Group comments “We thought long & hard exhibiting at this event, with never done it before so it was an opportunity for both brands to show off some very exciting new products” Vogue will have an array of Blu Cool Memory Foam™ models along with a special Blu Cool model launched exclusively at the show at an amazing price. Limelight Beds will be launching more new exciting models to complement the new models launched in January at the Interiors show.The new ‘Vela’ model is one the best contemporary bedsteads with ever shown. “we are very excited about this one” Wayne Shaw the National Manager Comments. Vogue & Limelight Beds will be on Stand A25 in the main hall. MADE IN THE UK

Made by VB group of Companies

Vogue marches on with new innovations Since the launch of Blu Cool Memory Foam™ in April, Sales of Blu Cool models have rocketed; we have managed to put new floor models on the shop floor despite it being a ‘difficult’ market. Retailers want something new and different to offer and we have managed to fit the gap. We haven’t sat still with just the Blu Cool, the new Latex models that feature talalay latex have also proven to be popular. Vita Talalay Embrace is a radically different version of latex foam, which, by using specially developed manufacturing processes gives a material that keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter. Durability with no loss of elasticity offers optimal support over the life of the product, which coupled with mildew resistance and anti-allergenic properties makes for a very desirable product. All the mattresses are available in 3ft (90cm), 4ft 6in (135cm), 5ft (150cm) and 6ft (180cm). As a guide, the 4ft 6in Latexpaedic mattresses retails at £299.00 while the divan starts retails at £399.00.

For further information on Vogue, please call 01455 841 257 or visit the group website on www.voguebeds.co.uk

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FINAL POLISH Peter Smith, William Benson, John Benson and Simon Harrison (far left) accept the trophy from Rupert Anton and Peter Kimmins, Georgian Carpets general manager

Royal carpeting The royal wedding was an opportunity to cash in for some, while for others it was practically a shopping free day. For Halo it provided an opportunity for a bit of literal flag waving when US TV channel TLC used its Union Flag covered Bensington on set during its coverage. But it was more frustrating for the manufacturer of the carpet for Westminster Abbey. Anticipating the marketing opportunity of the decade, the company was keenly thinking of how to maximise its connection when it was firmly told this was distinctly frowned upon, although we doubt ‘not amused’ was uttered. Given all the publicity for the dress designer and the maker of that hat, it seems a bit unfair.

Golf champions Congratulations all round to those behind the 55th Kidderminster Carpet Manufacturers Golf Tournament, sponsored by Georgian Carpets. The event raised £7,500 for both FIT and Macmillan Cancer Support with a further £750 on its way to the charities after Barclays Bank matched the amount raised on the second day. Rupert Anton, event chairman, received the FIT Individual Supporter of the Year trophy from Rodney McMahon, FIT president, after the event raised £24,000 in the past three years. Peter Smith, William Benson, John Benson and Simon Harrison, this year playing as Balfour Carpets, retained the main trophy by a clear 10 points.

Cardboard creation: Student design shows can always be relied upon to provoke the imagination, but on this occasion University of Portsmouth 3D Design student Savio Ku may be on to something. He created a desk using about £20 of folded cardboard. The entire desk is slotted together without any extra fixtures and can be taken apart and folded flat for easy storage. It also has two foldaway shelves on each side. The aim of the project was to create a cheap and simple desk. Given that the iMac on the desk weighs 11.5kg, it seems a solid piece of furniture.

Rodney McMahon (far left) and John Raynor of Macmillan Cancer Support (centre) accept donations from Peter Kimmins, Rupert Anton and Trish Davis

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Interiors Monthly June 2011

Above: Hilary Terry from Adam Carpets, Trish Davis from Barclays Bank and Monica Brinkworth of Brintons (left) were thanked for their work

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